Matrix Revolutions; no spoilers

[Bean]

If you are contemplating this movie, go see it

especially if you like the Matrix series and have seen the 1st and 2nd movie thoroughly...

the end fight scene between Neo and Smith; as you've seen the trailers many times on TV and at other movies; is AWSOME... i've never ever in my life seen a better good vs evil, final battle... we're talking better than Luke vs Darth Vader here man... i was almost in tears because that whole scene was just so incredible...

[Bryan]

yah I saw it last night too
2 tumbs up

[Iron Warrior]

I'll definitely check it out this weekend, this feedback helps 'cause I was a little disappointed in part 2.

[NPursuit]

Originally posted by Iron Warrior
I'll definitely check it out this weekend, this feedback helps 'cause I was a little disappointed in part 2.

Same here.  Too much action and not enough story.  I was actually bored through some of it.  After the 99th copy of smith got smacked around I was ready to turn it off.

[Ibanez]

I didn't like it as much as I wanted too. Some of it didn't make sense. It seems to me that it was made just to make money.

[motleybreu]

what didnt make sense? it was unbelievable....there wasn't enough philosophy as the other two but that was because there wasn't any left. they needed to save Zion. what was done, was done and couldn't happen any other way

[PC1]

The thing with part 2 "Reloaded" is you have to watch it at least a few times, and on dvd is much better than the movie houses if you have a decent system. In spite of all the action in the 2nd half of Reloaded, there's a good taste of philosophy and religious symbolism throughout the first half. If you only watch it (and the first Matrix movie) once, you probably didn't catch it, I think it's too much for most people to absorb on one take. I knew beforehand that Reloaded was going to be a bridge to Revolutions, but I really liked it anyway.

You'll also gain an appreciation for what went into all of the Matrix movies if you watch the 2nd behind the scenes dvd included with Revolutions. You'll see for example, that they shot Reloaded, Revolutions and the Video Game all at the same time over a 3 year period, 1 year in pre-production, 1 year to film, and 1 year in post production. I was blown away for example, to learn they built that entire 1.5 mile divided highway just to shoot the car chase scene. And that all the car flips and crashes were not cgi, they were live stunt drivers doing that stuff! Incredible.

When you consider what went into making these movies..... the complexity of the storyline, the relevancy of the story line with respect to artificial intelligence today in the 21st century, the layers of symbolism, philosphy, religion (Buddhism, gnostic christianity), the 8+ months of daily training Reeves, Fishburne, Moss and Weaving (and others) put into Reloaded and Revolutions (plus 8 months alone for the 1st Matrix movies), the EXPONENTIAL raising of the bar with respect to cinematography/cgi and special effects (the genius of John Gaeta), to say nothing of the painstaking planning and execution of the car chase scene, these 3 films stand alone, WITHOUT EQUAL. Of COURSE the intent is to make $$ at the end of the day. But what a phenomenal success. As great as George Lucas Star Wars series films have been over the past 2 decades, The Matrix series has taken the art of cinematography way further down the field in all respects.

And I haven't even seen Revolutions yet.

These movies have raised the bar so much higher now for other movies to compete with that it's almost an impossible task. Of all the movies you think of that you consider "great", how many have blended aspects of religion/philosophy, kung fu, action, computers, chase scenes, a love story, and a struggle involving the survival of humanity? Not only have the Wachowski's done this successfully and kept it really interesting, I don't think it's been done at all by anyone else to date. And unfortunately, when I see other movies including some of the fight/wire work that was developed in the Matrix movies, and even some of the 360 degree cinematography developed by Gaeta, it all looks like baby stuff and copy cat at that. The special effects "work" in the sense that they occur IN the virtual reality of the Matrix, and so it's "believable". When I watched, for example, the 2nd Charlie's Angel's movie, seeing the angels do Matrix type moves here in the real world just kind of seemed tacky in comparison.

I have a 2,400 watt home theater system I've assembled over the years with a widescreen hdtv in a 24x24 family room. I watch a lot of movies and I've intentionally held off from seeing Reloaded just because the experience of seeing (and feeling) it on my system goes well beyond that of seeing it in a movie house. I'll wait for the dvd to see Revolutions.

My only disappointment with the Matrix dvd's is that the sound tracks were not recorded in 6.1 dts format, they're the older dolby digital 5.1. No excuse for this, and I've BITCHED to Warner Home Video about it, but that doesn't take anything away from the movies themselves.

My guess is that once Revolutions is released on dvd, Warner will release the 3 in a box set, "remixed" in either DD or DTS 6.1 format, just so that I'll buy them again Smart financially, still it's annoying to a degree.

Other than this, I have no opinion one way or another about the Matrix movies.

[John Benz]

Originally posted by PC1
These movies have raised the bar so much higher now for other movies to compete with that it's almost an impossible task. Of all the movies you think of that you consider "great", how many have blended aspects of religion/philosophy, kung fu, action, computers, chase scenes, a love story, and a struggle involving the survival of humanity? Not only have the Wachowski's done this successfully and kept it really interesting, I don't think it's been done at all by anyone else to date.

I am a huge Matrix fan, and agree upto this statement. Barring the best "one-on-one" fight scenes, Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy surpasses everything, including the Matrix.

[PC1]

John,

Maybe, maybe not. The point I was making in the segment you quoted me from was not about any 1 single aspect, but that the Matrix movies theme successfully incorporated ALL of those aspects into a really fascinating story. I really enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movies too by the way

[Sir Foxx]

PCI,

I agree wholeheartedly with what you have said. Your home system sounds awesome, but you must have some really bad movie theatres around you. A well setup movie theatre will blow away any home system, any.

I'm leaving today in about an hour to go to KC and see Matrix Revolutions at the IMAX. Can't wait.

[Ibanez]

Originally posted by motleybreu
what didnt make sense? it was unbelievable....there wasn't enough philosophy as the other two but that was because there wasn't any left. they needed to save Zion. what was done, was done and couldn't happen any other way

I didn't quite understand how he got in the train station or how he was able to stop the machines in the real world.

[PC1]

Originally posted by Sir Foxx
PCI,

I agree wholeheartedly with what you have said. Your home system sounds awesome, but you must have some really bad movie theatres around you. A well setup movie theatre will blow away any home system, any.

Well actually, no I've been to several "really good" movie theaters.

One of my hobbies is loudspeaker design and construction. I designed and built the system in my house. It is by all accounts, extreme

All 4 of my surround speakers are full sized 3-ways, and are audiophile grade in terms of what most people use as their main audio speakers. They're timbre matched to my main left/right audio speakers which also are 3-ways. The main left/right are actually enclosed in 2 other larger cabinets that house my subwoofers. The cabinets each measure 53"H x 20"W x 24"D, all cabinets constructed in 1" mdf and finished with a beautiful natural cherry veneer. My dual 15" subs will play flat to about 22 Hz, that's FLAT, meaning there is no appreciable loss of volume at the depth of pitch that's close to the limit of what the human ear can hear. Each of those 15" subs are driven by 800 watts of power via a Crown Pro-audio amp, the type you'd find in a well designed movie theater, night club or in concert arenas (they use a LOT of them, daisy chained). Any low sound source, say an explosion, literally shakes the entire room. A low test tone shakes the walls in my master bedroom, located on the second floor all the way across a nearly 3,000 sf house. Without exaggeration, I literally have stress cracks in the plaster of my walls from my system. The HT receiver is a top of the line Pioneer Elite with 110 watts of power each channel, by 7 channels via Mosfett power amps, Do the math, that's about 2.400 watts of clean power in 1 24x24 family room.

So with all due respect, most commercial theaters do not have the quality nor punch of sound my system delivers, in terms of sound or picture quality. Although I won't argue with the quality of an IMAX picture.

[PC1]

Originally posted by Ibanez


I didn't quite understand how he got in the train station or how he was able to stop the machines in the real world.

Do you mean the train station in the first Matrix movie?

In Revolutions in terms of how he stopped the machines in the real world, I'm not sure if this is correct or not, but when he met the architect of the matrix, the architect spoke of how his travails in the Matrix had altered his consciousness, although he "remained irrevocably human". And supposedly Neo was to return through the other door, reinserting some new programming back into the system, and choosing 16 women + 7 other men to repopulate humanity. Of course he went through the other door to save Trinity instead. I think the programming he received as he's grown and mastered the Matrix has "altered his consciousness". At the end when the sentinels were approaching to kill them in the real world, he told Trinity things were different, and that he could feel them approaching. So somehow he has some new abilities that allow him to fight the machines (designed and built by the Matrix mainframe) others don't have. That's my theory anyway, but I did find myself asking the same question.

[Ibanez]

Originally posted by PC1


Do you mean the train station in the first Matrix movie?

In Revolutions in terms of how he stopped the machines in the real world, I'm not sure if this is correct or not, but when he met the architect of the matrix, the architect spoke of how his travails in the Matrix had altered his consciousness, although he "remained irrevocably human". And supposedly Neo was to return through the other door, reinserting some new programming back into the system, and choosing 16 women + 7 other men to repopulate humanity. Of course he went through the other door to save Trinity instead. I think the programming he received as he's grown and mastered the Matrix has "altered his consciousness". At the end when the sentinels were approaching to kill them in the real world, he told Trinity things were different, and that he could feel them approaching. So somehow he has some new abilities that allow him to fight the machines (designed and built by the Matrix mainframe) others don't have. That's my theory anyway, but I did find myself asking the same question.

No, the train station in revolutions. When they are waiting for the trainman.

Interesting theory.

[Sir Foxx]

If you can see the new Matrix Rev. movie on IMAX, do it. It was awesome. That was the first movie I've seen on IMAX that wasn't some documentary climbing Mt. Everest or swimming with whales, and it blew any movie experience I've had, away.

PC, your system is something that I would love to hear. 2 800watt 15" subs in a 24X24 room? My god, what do your neighbors think Have you ever thought about adding "tactile sound" to your setup?

[TMack40]

www.matrix-explained.com

This site covers tons of possible angles on the matrix and talks about many of the finer intricancies. Itll get your mind going for the day anyway, check it out.

[PC1]

Originally posted by Sir Foxx

PC, your system is something that I would love to hear. 2 800watt 15" subs in a 24X24 room? My god, what do your neighbors think Have you ever thought about adding "tactile sound" to your setup?

Fortunately for me, I live on a 2.5 acre wooded lot 1/2 in the woods. When I have the audio cranked in the warmer weather with windows open, my neighbors behind me, and through the woods, in THEIR houses can hear it, lol

I thought about tactiles when I was planning out my system but truth is, I really don't need them Any loud explosions are felt as well as heard

Missouri is a long way from central Mass, but if you're ever in the area you're quite welcome to swing by for a demo.

[PC1]

Originally posted by Ibanez


No, the train station in revolutions. When they are waiting for the trainman.

Interesting theory.

Sorry, I haven't seen Revolutions yet! I'm very much looking forward to it though

[db682]

Part three is by far the best. Saw it last night. I didnt really like the 2nd one the first time either but This chick bought it for me and the second time It seemed alittle better. But holy **** Revolutions was the ****. The special effects and the fight scenes were awesome. Im fighting myself to not tell the plot but one things for sure the jellyfish looking robots dont ****ing play near the end. And Mr Andersen takes a serious asss whipping towards the end. Didnt really care much for the romance scenes but I like how neo added a little comedy to the movie this time.

[db682]

The trainman, Now thats an ugly cat, but he's got a mean jab.

db